As a matter of practice the Assyrian kings swapped people around all the
time, so it would not be unusual for Esarhaddon to have done the same thing.
When they moved "troublesome" people from one region, they brought in others
to fill the space as unpopulated lands didn't produce revenue.

Why does Ezra 4.1 mention Esarhaddon? Perhaps it s a characterisation showing that the opponents of the Jerusalem community were clutching at straws and making

Message 4 of 7
, Aug 23, 2013

Why does Ezra 4.1 mention Esarhaddon? Perhaps it's a characterisation showing that the opponents of the Jerusalem community were clutching at straws and making it up as they went along? They wanted to find some reason that would convince the Jerusalem community that they should be involved in the building, so they made it up. The Jerusalem community could go back to Cyrus, but they could go back to... um... er... Esarhaddon! Yes, he'll do!

(Just thinking out loud here-or whatever the form of that saying should be when you're writing.)